USAir flight crashes in the Hudson River.

[Backglass]

USAir flight crashes in the Hudson River.

Big news here in New York.

www.CNN.com

[HapSmo19]

Everyone survived apparently.
Amazing.

[jonesthecurl]

I hope nobody had to spend long in the water - brrr.

[Iz Man]

Not too far from home, eh Backglass?

Looks like the pilot did an outstanding job of ditching the plane. A few minor injuries are all that's being reported.

[luns101]

USAir flight crashes in the Hudson River.

Big news here in New York.

http://www.CNN.com

Wow....just Wow!

I'm glad that pilot was able to land the thing.

[spurgistan]

I'd say that's a pretty common sentiment. Still, huge relief knowing everybody's a bit chilly and doubtlessly freaked out of their skulls for a little while, but more or less ok.

Anybody figure out what happened to the plane? Ice?

EDIT: nope, geese. Let's hope it wasn't an Esoog.

and apparently some passengers are still in hospital, so maybe we should hold off on the champagne just yet. Looks pretty good, though.

[Night Strike]

Impressive work by the pilot to crash land safely (oxymoron), the flight crew for keeping everything orderly, and the immediate response from the New York professionals. Looks like all that new training after 9/11 really paid off today; many people would have died from hypothermia if they had not arrived quickly.

[InkL0sed]

Not too far from home, eh Backglass?

Looks like the pilot did an outstanding job of ditching the plane. A few minor injuries are all that's being reported.

It's tethered right next to my school.

[1beachbum]

"Looks like all that new training after 9/11 really paid off today; many people would have died from hypothermia if they had not arrived quickly."

I believe you may have misheard, which is easy to do after these types of events when the details are sketchy at first. The passengers all deplaned within 90 seconds (which is phenomenal) to rafts and onto the wings of the planes and were picked up by ferry boats, tour boats and private boats that happened to already be on the Hudson and/or in the area. It doesn't appear anyone was in danger since they had refuge from the icy waters and the response times in urban areas are always pretty quick.

The pilot is quite the hero today for a textbook water landing. His training and experience saved 155 lives today.

[brooksieb]

Well i thought that the speed the plane was going at would of made the water concrete like, I'm gobsmacked nobody died, didn't a flock of birds do this? It's what i'd been hearing.

[lozzini]

I'd say that's a pretty common sentiment. Still, huge relief knowing everybody's a bit chilly and doubtlessly freaked out of their skulls for a little while, but more or less ok.

Anybody figure out what happened to the plane? Ice?

EDIT: nope, geese. Let's hope it wasn't an Esoog.

and apparently some passengers are still in hospital, so maybe we should hold off on the champagne just yet. Looks pretty good, though.

air strike - birds flew into 2 engines shortly after taking causing them to shut down

[Megadeth666]

Since it always takes something devastating to happen before they do something about it.......you think they are now going to search the area for flocks of birds before take-off?

[Iz Man]

Since it always takes something devastating to happen before they do something about it.......you think they are now going to search the area for flocks of birds before take-off?

They do...
Many (if not all) airports have noise makers and/or cannons near the runways to ward birds off during takeoff.

Chances are (although I'm certainly not 100% on this) that some birds in the area are "used" to hearing the noise so it doesn't deter them as much.

[Prima]

It's an ongoing problem. They've been testing out new kinds of radar for years, and airports do all sorts of inventive things to keep birds away, but their well...birds.

Edit: D'oh Ninja'd. Here's a linkand a quote "The Federal Aviation Administration estimates the problem costs US aviation 600 million dollars annually and has resulted in over 200 worldwide deaths since 1988. In the United Kingdom the Central Science Laboratory estimates[6] that, worldwide, the cost of birdstrikes to airlines is around US$1.2 billion annually. This cost includes direct repair cost and lost revenue opportunities while the damaged aircraft is out of service. Estimating that 80% of bird strikes are unreported, there were 4,300 bird strikes listed by the United States Air Force and 5,900 by US civil aircraft in 2003."

[Backglass]

Since it always takes something devastating to happen before they do something about it.......you think they are now going to search the area for flocks of birds before take-off?

They do...
Many (if not all) airports have noise makers and/or cannons near the runways to ward birds off during takeoff.

Chances are (although I'm certainly not 100% on this) that some birds in the area are "used" to hearing the noise so it doesn't deter them as much.

Not only that, but they didn't hit the birds AT the airport. They were well away when they hit the flock of CANADIAN geese. (Coincidence?! I think NOT! ).

It would be practically impossible to search a 50 square mile are for birds every time a plane took off from LGA, JFK or EWR.

[InkL0sed]

"Looks like all that new training after 9/11 really paid off today; many people would have died from hypothermia if they had not arrived quickly."

I believe you may have misheard, which is easy to do after these types of events when the details are sketchy at first. The passengers all deplaned within 90 seconds (which is phenomenal) to rafts and onto the wings of the planes and were picked up by ferry boats, tour boats and private boats that happened to already be on the Hudson and/or in the area. It doesn't appear anyone was in danger since they had refuge from the icy waters and the response times in urban areas are always pretty quick.

The pilot is quite the hero today for a textbook water landing. His training and experience saved 155 lives today.

Actually, a few people did get hypothermia. Believe me, it's been freezing lately.

[spurgistan]

I'm hurt that nobody has commented on how brave the goose was, or even thought about what made the goose disaffected enough to fly into that jet engine. The goose that gave its life obviously believed in its ideals far more than us lazy enviromentalists. Whereas we just post meaningless posts about reducing carbon emissions, this goose had the fortitude, the willpower to realize that this is a bigger issue than any of us. Additionally, this is the definition of selfless sacrifice; she had no desire to see her name in the papers; in fact, as far as I know she has none. By way of correcting this, I will name her Rachel, after the late, great Rachel Carson. So, thank you, Rachel, for giving us a shining symbol of what immaculately selfless sacrifice is.

See, we can joke because everybody's all right

[InkL0sed]

I'm hurt that nobody has commented on how brave the goose was, or even thought about what made the goose disaffected enough to fly into that jet engine. The goose that gave its life obviously believed in its ideals far more than us lazy enviromentalists. Whereas we just post meaningless posts about reducing carbon emissions, this goose had the fortitude, the willpower to realize that this is a bigger issue than any of us. Additionally, this is the definition of selfless sacrifice; she had no desire to see her name in the papers; in fact, as far as I know she has none. By way of correcting this, I will name her Rachel, after the late, great Rachel Carson. So, thank you, Rachel, for giving us a shining symbol of what immaculately selfless sacrifice is.

See, we can joke because everybody's all right

I heard a conversation today, where this kid was saying "They keep saying there weren't any deaths, which isn't true - two geese died!"

[Backglass]

I find it interesting that there has been ZERO abut the co-pilot...not even his name!

It's as if he doesn't exist, when I am sure he/she helped out quite a bit!

[HapSmo19]

I heard a conversation today, where this kid was saying "They keep saying there weren't any deaths, which isn't true - two geese died!"

Those weren't just geese. They were suicide geese. The coverup is in full swing to give the illusion of safety.

[Gold Knight]

I believe those geese were sent by the Canadian government as a threat on the general welfare of Americans, and thus believe that Bush in his last days of office should declare war on Canada. At least he'd have a reputation of consistent at this point.

[jonesthecurl]

Actually, after going through the engine, we can say that
"what's sauce for the goose is made from the gander."

Oh, and is anyone else here a fan of James Thurber (and the Proper Gander)?

[2dimes]

I believe those geese were sent by the Canadian government as a threat on the general welfare of Americans, and thus believe that Bush in his last days of office should declare war on Canada. At least he'd have a reputation of consistent at this point.

As a Canadian that has had the misfourtune of flying on American carriers. That's punishment enough, it would be cruel to send geese to down the craft.

Kudos to the crew. Though they were in the right place at the right time to make it to the river.

[mccallan25]

I believe those geese were sent by the Canadian government as a threat on the general welfare of Americans, and thus believe that Bush in his last days of office should declare war on Canada. At least he'd have a reputation of consistent at this point.

As a Canadian that has had the misfourtune of flying on American carriers. That's punishment enough, it would be cruel to send geese to down the craft.

Kudos to the crew. Though they were in the right place at the right time to make it to the river.

Looking at my White plains, NY to Charlotte plane ticket for US AIR in two weeks...I can't help but notice I am flying Canadair, a partner of US AIR. I had to mention this after reading the slam/comment on American carriers. You do realize that Canada for many years let Air Chance (France) fly into Canada while the US would not let them land in America due to their safety record.

Of course I am sure some Canadian will of course have to respond...

[pimpdave]

Yeah, three cheers for the pilot. A true American hero.

I genuinely hope this guy becomes a house hold name. If we all know the name of Joe Fuckface Wurzelbacher, then there's no excuse for us not to always remember that pilot.


Also, to the dude claiming no one suffered hypothermia... really? Where are you getting your information from? It's been disgustingly cold out here, and the water was only 40 degrees.

They didn't have to be IN the drink in order to get hypothermia... just standing outside without proper protection from the elements (honestly, how many of you keep a coat, hat and gloves on when you fly?).

It wouldn't take long at all.